Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-06-17

on the river, ana tNo i''~'',
carried away Ford's mills, a dozen
miles above us. .aI
"How can there be n ireshet where IL 5
all ice?" -. -
..lust because it is all ice, miss.
said Thomas. 1.-The streams are iull
up.country, and the frozen river down
here is giving the water no outlet;
Half the country between here ana
there'll be ahoat before morning.
And then came the dull -oar and rum
HE the shock, the thrill, the explosion,
once more an.
"Why, this is terrible" said ]. ut
seems as il elemental things were at
work: as if the earth was splitting ana
opepinn." And while we waited ana
shivered as ono after another
of the great explosions came, the
door opened SO quickly as
to make us start, and Mrs. sawyer
ran in, her face as white as ashes.
"a messenger has just gone gailop,.
ing by" she gasped. MY husband
met him. He says the dam at the
falls mas been carried away, and the
MAYOR at Fallstown has sent word by
him TO the mayor OF Harborbar to
look out for his bridges"
"And the explosions" said Bryan,
Joining us. for we were oil looking OUT
now, in the late twilight, at the long
glass door opening on the river, above
when a purplins mist was hung, us
the Fallstown people trying to break
no the ice below them with dynamite.
| guess we are in for It,
IL don't know what we are going TO
do" cried Mrs. Sawyer. 'Of course
the moment the ice breaks up ana
goes sweeping down it will make Tor
the first outlet. and that is ON these
grass understanding in here on the
very first low shore along the whole
course of the river. 1t is terrifying.
II it were only daylight wouldn t
mind 1t 50 much. We could see our
way. We could see what was coming.
We should know where we were and
what to do. But in the dark! You
had better come over to our house,
Nan, and whatever we do we will all
do to .ether. Merciful powels what
was that?'
1t was only the wind coming up
that strong, sweet south wind. 1t
had broken bough from the old elm
that had fallen on the house, and at
the same moment the last explosion
of the dynamite sounded. But it was
enough Mrs. Sawyer's words We're
ringing in my ears. In the dark all at
once thought | could see the torrent
OF broken ice, the great blocks
and sheets OF pointed jaggad ice, lift
ing themselves into one huge wall
and sweeping round the bend and up
tine land, pushed ty the mighty swell
ing of he tide hehind-mounting grind
ing, sweeping across all this low in
terval, over which 1t would crash and
pour and flow, to find the river at a
point below and reach the sea. The
rush OF the great black cold waters
was already upon me, the sound OF
them IN my ears, the blowing of the
wide dark water breath. / felt my
self d helpless straw before them.
did not wait an instant. | never
thought of the others. WAS not con-
scous of any thought at all; but /
screamed, and turned and dashed out
of the house and down the lane, as
fast, IA brea thlessly, as l could race,
through the mire and slush, and up
the narrow road into the wood, feel
ing still that chill water breath blow.
ing on me, hearing the terrible sound
OF the rasping, piling, tumbling, roar
ing ice, and | never stopped till | fell
painting and breathless and fainting
at somebody's feet, with tine warm
breath OF a great stag hound in my
face, and was being lifted in some
b,dy's arms, and saw when l opened
my eyes, by the light of the young vel
low moon through the wood, that it
was Mark, and he was kissing me with
O. kiss as long as the space that had
separated us. ooh. Mark! Mark"
cried save me! save me, The freshet is
coming; i, is close upon us; we are all
drowning take me up to your house,
to your dear old high house, and don t
let eever leaveit. Oh, Mark, Iloved
you all the time! Take me home.
Don't let me 20 arain. Forgive me,
love me. Idon't see howyou can love
me. | don't see how you can love
anybody SO wilful and vixenish and
selfish and hateful; but oh! you must
you must.'
81 am taking you home" said he, as
soon as he had the chance. do you
suppose | will let you 90 again?
shall have to forgive you. What else
Is there for me TO do? l heard about
the freshet. was just on my way to
you. We will have the minister ur
this very evening. if we can get him
and you shall never so much as go out
of my arms again"
And he did. And here lam. perfect
~ happy in this fortress. this prison
on n rock, this dungeon-so happy
that | have not yet been able to bring
my shocked nerves to the pass even
OF going down again to the grass lands
where Mark goes down and manages
everything for me.
And the freshet? Oh, to be sure
Why, you see, that south wind shifted
to easterIy, and it froze again that
night. And when l. melted, it melted
so gently that the ice went out OF the
river without anybodys knowing it.
And there never was any freshet.
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Tho ED.nSn IF